Schoolgirl Punished for Wearing UK Flag Dress on Culture Day

A 12-year-old girl was "removed" by teachers for celebrating her British heritage on a culture day at school.

Courtney, who attends Bilton School in Rugby, chose to wear a Union Jack dress and wrote a speech about Britain's history and traditions on Friday, July 11, as part of the celebrations.

However, her father, Stuart had to collect the 12-year-old from school before the end of the day after he claimed she was told culture day was "not for her".

"On my way to collect my daughter from school. She's currently being made to sit at reception waiting for me", Stuart wrote on Facebook.

"It's cultural diversity day at school where children can wear clothing representing their culture and write a speech about their heritage.

"She has been told it's not for her as she gets to celebrate being British everyday."

Stuart added that he believed the teachers had "removed" his daughter for "being proud of her country".

In her speech, Courtney wrote that she thinks culture "should be for everyone".

"Being British is still a culture and it matters too. It’s part of who I am," the school pupil wrote.

"So let’s celebrate all cultures — whether they come from far away or right here at home."

Ahead of the culture day, Bilton School said it was a "special day" which was "dedicated to recognising and celebrating the rich cultural diversity" in its community.

The school encouraged pupils to "consider wearing attire that reflects their nationality or family heritage".

A spokesman for Stowe Valley Trust, which runs the secondary school, said it offers its "unreserved apologies" to the family.

"At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included," the school told Warwickshire World.

"On Friday, July 11 an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community. We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies.

"We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better.

"We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage.

"As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all.”